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94 recommence, if only economically, her expansion towards the East. For them it will be a question of life and death. On the other hand, they will have to turn to the Adriatic to enter into economic relations with Italy, as well as the other Allied States of to-day. This will be the case with Bohemia, Magyar Hungary, Rumania, and Yugo-Slavia, The Western Allies will, of course, greatly profit by this new situation, being called upon to replace Germany before the war from the economic point of view, and to collect the fruits, after the disappearance of Austria-Hungary, of the reorganisation of Central and South-Eastern Europe.

No part of this forecast is impossible if two conditions are fulfilled: the dismemberment of Austria-Hungary, and the reconstruction of the independent Czecho-Slovak State. The Czech question is truly an international question. It is therefore imperative that all statesmen who are concerned with the political and economic interests of the Allied countries should be aware of these facts, as the Czecho—Slovaks will be unable to render the Allies any real service from the political and economic point of view, unless they are assured absolute political independence.